Kaichiroh Kurosu is one of Japan’s elite builders. He runs Cherry’s Company out of a cosy workshop in Tokyo, and his builds display incredible imagination and craftsmanship.
Admittedly, we knew little of his virtuoso career until he released the ‘Highway Fighter’—an off-the-wall BMW R nineT that currently graces the cover of our 2016 motorcycle wall calendar. And now this machine is one of the stars of the 2017 calendar.
A little digging revealed a portfolio stacked with Harley-Davidsons; Kurosu-san’s been wrenching on them for over twenty years.
Though he usually works with older Harleys, Kurosu has no problem tearing into a modern machine. You’re looking at a Street 750—but it’s a radical departure from the controversial original.
Kurosu’s brief came direct from Harley-Davidson, who commissioned five Japanese builders to rework the Street. The bike he’s delivered is chockablock with exquisite details: we’ve pored over a hundred photos of it, and couldn’t find one bad angle.
In typical Cherry’s fashion, every part is a hand-made one-off. That includes the elegant girder fork, made up of CNC-machined aluminum mounts, and hand-bent carbon steel trusses.
Over fifty percent of the frame is new. Taking cues from the girder front end, there’s a swooping, trellised section that flows flawlessly into the custom-made swingarm. But the astounding visual effect is only part of the story—under the hood are countless welds, mounts and gussets.
Kurosu-san altered the Street’s geometry too, giving it a more an aggressive, racy stance. (Bespoke 17-inch wheels with Dunlop racing slicks drive the point home.) The geometry’s appropriate, when you realize that this Harley is blown.
That’s right—there’s a turbocharger, hence the moniker ‘XG750Turbo Street Fighter.’ The turbo’s supported by a custom-made oil cooling system, intercooler and air surge tank. And if that’s not impressive enough, cast your eyes over the stainless steel exhaust system.
With all that frame and engine work, it feels like an afterthought to mention the bodywork. But there’s otherworldly skill at play here too.
The tank cover, tail section and belly pan and are all hand-shaped aluminum pieces. The headlight shroud’s custom too, kitted with a halogen light and a modified bubble shield acting as a fly screen.
It all comes off in a snap, thanks to quick-n-easy quarter-turn fasteners. Underneath is an aluminum inner tank, and a rather neat electrical system. There’s not a hair out of place here (close inspection will even reveal safety wire in all the right places.)
Paint from Nomad Concepts and leatherwork from Skunk add the final touches to Kurosu-san’s masterpiece.
It’s far from your typical Harley custom. But really, does it get any better than this?
Cherry’s Company | Facebook | Instagram | Photos by Hiromitsu Yasui | Thanks to Tadashi Kono for supplying the info.
Build sheet
Engine
Turbocharger: automotive
Intercooler : one-off
Air surge tank : one-off
Boost controller : mechanical type / run max
Oil system for turbo charger : one-off
Exhaust & silencer : one-off
Chassis
Frame: stock frame, modified
Front fork: one-off girder fork
Girder fork spring: one-off
Front fork damper: scissor type, one-off
Steering damper: v-twin / modified
Rear swing arm: one-off
Rear suspension: Ducati Monster
Lower engine mount: one-off / 12mm steel
Lower stabilizer: one-off
Brakes & controls
Front master cylinder: Nissin
Front brake caliper: Harley-Davidson
Front brake disc rotor: v-twin / black chromate
Rear master cylinder: Harley-Davidson FLT
Rear brake caliper: Harley-Davidson
Rear brake disc rotor: v-twin / black chromate
Handlebar: one-off
Clutch lever: Tommaselli
Foot controls: Tarozzi / modified
Wheels
Front wheel: one-off
Front tire: Dunlop racing slick / KR149 120/70-17
Rear wheel : one-off
Rear tire: Dunlop racing slick / KR108 195/65-17
Body
Inner fuel tank: aluminum one-off
Fuel tank cover: aluminum one-off
Under cowl: aluminum one-off
Seat cowl: aluminum one-off
Front cowl: aluminum one-off
Front cowl screen: bubble shield / modified
Oil catch tank: aluminum one-off
Headlight: halogen type
Rear stop light: v-twin
Speedometer: stock
Tachometer: v-twin
Seat: leather one-off / made by Skunk
Paint: urethane / Nomad Concepts
